Beach shot - C&C please

[DaninMD]

Hi there, I took this shot a couple of years ago. I generally like the shot and think it is decent, but I feel that there is something missing and could be a really good shot if I did it again. So looking for things you would have done differently (composition, exposure, processing, etc) to make it really good.

I am going back to this location in a few months and have some ideas for other locations that I want to shoot. I think going back to this place to create version 2.0 will be a good experience.

Please comment away and DONT worry about hurting my feelings. I enjoy criticism and suggestions, that's the only way to get better:



link to original: beach | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

 

[mmaria]

that was a beautiful sunset but yes, you could do something different, regarding composition...

When you go to this place again I think you should move yourself to the left... all the way down to the water. I'll borrow you some waders.

Ok

 

[DaninMD]

that was a beautiful sunset but yes, you could do something different, regarding composition...

When you go to this place again I think you should move yourself to the left... all the way down to the water. I'll borrow you some waders.

Ok

haha, guess you aren't going to let that go, hehe.

 

[DaninMD]

come on, 50 views and no one wants to rip this picture apart?

 

[Derrel]

I think you did a danged fine job in that aspect ratio. Good foreground subject, wonderful balance of the grass clusters left and right, and an incredibly beautiful, dramatic, awesome sunset. As sunsets on a beach go, minus a Sports Illustrated bikini gal or GQ-class, hunky beefcake male model in there on the beach area, this one's pretty good and lacks very little..

 

[scotts2014se]

I also like it! The silhouette of a sailboat on the water would be good, but it doesnt need it.

 

[DaninMD]

I think you did a danged fine job in that aspect ratio. Good foreground subject, wonderful balance of the grass clusters left and right, and an incredibly beautiful, dramatic, awesome sunset. As sunsets on a beach go, minus a Sports Illustrated bikini gal or GQ-class, hunky beefcake male model in there on the beach area, this one's pretty good and lacks very little..

what do you mean by aspect ratio? are you just talking about the length/width?

my favorite part of the photo was the cloud formation and the radial shadow projected across the sky, thought that was interesting. I guess I feel that the picture doesn't pop enough, it seems muted and not contrasty enough. unfortunately this was taken before I started shooting in RAW and I only had an edited JPEG to work with and couldn't do much with my limited LR skills.

 

[PropilotBW]

I think it would have benefitted from using a graduated ND filter for better foreground lighting.

 

[jet_black]

I like it, but I think it would be better with less of the grass on the left.

 

[DaninMD]

I think it would have benefitted from using a graduated ND filter for better foreground lighting.

thanks for the input. I don't currently own a grad ND filter but I could see the benefit in these types of pictures. I think if I had shot this in RAW and still had the files it could have been a better picture since I would have more control over shadows/etc. or I could have shot two exposures and blended them. I think I will try that next time I am down there.

 

[Derrel]

I think you did a danged fine job in that aspect ratio. Good foreground subject, wonderful balance of the grass clusters left and right, and an incredibly beautiful, dramatic, awesome sunset. As sunsets on a beach go, minus a Sports Illustrated bikini gal or GQ-class, hunky beefcake male model in there on the beach area, this one's pretty good and lacks very little..

what do you mean by aspect ratio? are you just talking about the length/width?

my favorite part of the photo was the cloud formation and the radial shadow projected across the sky, thought that was interesting. I guess I feel that the picture doesn't pop enough, it seems muted and not contrasty enough. unfortunately this was taken before I started shooting in RAW and I only had an edited JPEG to work with and couldn't do much with my limited LR skills.

Yes, I meant the height to width ratio. Some cameras shoot in 4:3, others 3:2; others offer a 16:9 or wide-screen option; older twin-lens reflex cameras had a square image, today often referred to as 1:1 (yes, lol, I know); other formats have included 4:5 and 5:7. You camera's aspect ratio seems closest to 4:3, which in many horizontal landscape situations seems to me a bit "square-ish", and sort of "stodgy". If this had been frames with a 3:2 aspect ratio, more of the sand at the bottom would have been eliminated, and it would probably look a bit more "at rest" I think, even more tranquil, and also more "expansive".

 

[ronlane]

I like the shot. The cool thing about it is, you can go back and take another one from there and they won't be the same.

That being said, remember that the sun will not be in the same spot when you go back in a few months. Due to it orbit, it will be further left or right of this location (depending on the hemisphere you are in). If you have an iPhone, you can get this cool app "Photo Sundial" that Rick Sammon had created. It's not free, but it is a cool app for landscape photographers to use.

 

[DaninMD]

I think you did a danged fine job in that aspect ratio. Good foreground subject, wonderful balance of the grass clusters left and right, and an incredibly beautiful, dramatic, awesome sunset. As sunsets on a beach go, minus a Sports Illustrated bikini gal or GQ-class, hunky beefcake male model in there on the beach area, this one's pretty good and lacks very little..

what do you mean by aspect ratio? are you just talking about the length/width?

my favorite part of the photo was the cloud formation and the radial shadow projected across the sky, thought that was interesting. I guess I feel that the picture doesn't pop enough, it seems muted and not contrasty enough. unfortunately this was taken before I started shooting in RAW and I only had an edited JPEG to work with and couldn't do much with my limited LR skills.

Yes, I meant the height to width ratio. Some cameras shoot in 4:3, others 3:2; others offer a 16:9 or wide-screen option; older twin-lens reflex cameras had a square image, today often referred to as 1:1 (yes, lol, I know); other formats have included 4:5 and 5:7. You camera's aspect ratio seems closest to 4:3, which in many horizontal landscape situations seems to me a bit "square-ish", and sort of "stodgy". If this had been frames with a 3:2 aspect ratio, more of the sand at the bottom would have been eliminated, and it would probably look a bit more "at rest" I think, even more tranquil, and also more "expansive".

ok, thanks for the response. I only have the jpeg from back then and I don't know if it was cropped, etc to change the aspect...my memory doesn't go back that far, lol.

 

[ceejtank]

I would have prefered if you used a flash on the reeds too, to light them up a bit.

 

[spacefuzz]

Personal opinion: Its a left heavy composition so I would have moved around until I achieved a more balanced feeling. I'd want to lead the eye from the FG grass to the back ground grass then to the sun. Id also lighten the FG a bit, or if you wanted to keep the silhouette feel, cut down on the amount of sand. You really have all the elements here, just a few small changes and I'd be glad to have it on my wall.